COMMUNITY TRUST SCOOP TWO AWARDS AT MBNA NORTH WEST FOOTBALL AWARDS

15 November 2016

Wigan Athletic Community Trust

The Trust won the Community Initiative Award for its Pathway 2 Participation scheme

Wigan Athletic Community Trust had a night to remember at the North West Football Awards on Monday evening as they scooped two awards, firstly the Community Initiative of the Year for their Pathway 2 Participation project, and also the Unsung Hero of the Year, which was won by Trust and club volunteer Frank Melling.

The Pathway 2 Participation scheme, a mentoring programme for young people aged 12-19 in Wigan, provided mentoring to 113 vulnerable young people during 2015-16 and enabled 75% of participants to be involved in positive activities eight weeks after the end of the scheme.

In addition, the scheme increased the confidence of 77 young people, helped 34 young people re-enter education, recruited 80 volunteers who volunteered for 550 hours, and increased the weekly physical activity levels of 154, 8-12 year olds.

The scheme is a partnership between Wigan Athletic Community Trust, Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles and Wigan Youth Zone, and is funded by Wigan Council and the Big Lottery Fund.

Tom Flower, Head of Community at Wigan Athletic Community Trust, said: “Winning the Community Initiative of the Year for Pathway 2 Participation is a testament to all the hard work the team have put into the scheme over the last 18 months. It has made a difference to hundreds of young people.

“The scheme wouldn’t be successful without the support of our partners, Wigan Youth Zone and Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, and the funding we receive from Wigan Council and the Big Lottery Fund. It’s great that the partnership has been recognised in such a way.

“Everyone at the Trust was also very proud to see Frank named Unsung Hero for his support of our disability football teams. He really deserved the award for his hard work, effort and dedication.”

Frank has been volunteering for the Community Trust for over a decade, and his passion and endeavour to help on a voluntary basis has been second to none.

Frank, who is driver for Wigan Athletic’s disability football teams, is passionate about disability football and the opportunities for everyone being equal, whilst he also sits on the Greater Manchester Ability Counts Football League committee and has been chairman for three years.